The invention relates to a slider needle for knitting machines.
Slider needles comprising a divided slider have been known. Such sliders have at least two legs that run in a slider channel and are held at a distance from each other by means of a center strip.
Such a slider needle comprising a center strip has been known from EP 1 229 159. In this document, the center strip is a one-piece component of the needle body. The implementation of this idea necessitates high manufacturing costs and results in a rigid support of the center strip.
Likewise, a slider needle with a center strip has been known from document EP 1 424 417. This center strip is configured so as to represent a separate partition element that is later inserted in the needle base body and fastened thereto in a non-detachable manner. The slider channel of this slider needle is delimited by two lateral walls and one bottom. A larger opening extending through the bottom as well as also partially through one lateral wall accommodates the extension of the partition element. The extension is laterally accessible through the opening. This extension is set into the needle so that a durable immovable connection is established. However, the manufacturing efforts are considerable. Due to the application of said opening in a manner asymmetrical relative to the center plane, the resultant needle is subject to considerable weakening. For example, if the needle is subject to any bending stress due to the pull of the knit material suspended from said needle, the center strip may detach. Furthermore, considering this idea, it is relatively difficult to achieve sufficient precision, in particular, from the viewpoint of any positioning of the partition element.
If any element detaches from the needle such as, for example, the partition element, and enters into the knitting machine, the uncontrollably moving partition element may end up causing significant damage to the knitting machine.
Considering this, it is the object of the invention to state an improved idea for slider needles comprising a center strip element.